Retainer for door latch spindles



: Dec. 22, 1931. F. D. GRUND 1,337,431

RETAINER FOR DOOR LATCH SPINDLES Filed Aug. 28, 1950 Patented Dec. 22, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT orrlce FLETCHER D. GRUND, OF WESTON, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE AMERICAN SWISS OOMFANY,

OF TOLEDO, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO RETAINER FOR DOOR LATCH SPINDIIES Application filed August 28, 1930. Serial No. 478,369.

This invention relates to door latches, but more particularly to devices for connecting the spindle which extends through the door into door latch unit, to the latter, and an 5 object is to produce a simple and efficient connecting means for door latch spindles which positively retains the spindle in place, but which may be readily manipulated for releasing the spindle when desired.

The invention is shown by way of illustration on the accompanying drawings, in which- Fig. 1 is a fragmentary sectional elevation on the line 11 of Fig. 2 showing a door 15 latch mounted on a door and a cotter pin for retaining the spindle in place;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view of the face plate showing an opening therein permitting access to the cotter pin;

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of an alternate form utilizing a tapered screw instead of a cotter pin;

Fig. 5 is a sectional elevation of an alternate form in which the cotter pin extends through an extension of the roll back hub; an

Fig. 6 is a sectional elevation of a still further form in whichthe outer end of the roll back hub is spun over on the outer face of the back plate.

The illustrated embodiment of the invention shown in Figs. 1 to 3 comprises a door latch having a back plate 1 provided with the usual face plate 2. In Fig. 1 the face plate 2 is shown attached in the usual manner to a door panel 3 which is formed with a trans verse opening 4 to receive the latch-operating spindle 5. On the outside of the door is a handle 6 mounted on the spindle 5 for retracting the latch bolt in the usual manner.

Movable over the back plate 1 is a latch bolt 7, which is urged to latching position by a suitable spring not shown). Any desired means (not shown may be employed for retracting the bolt 7 from the inside of the door. For retracting the bolt from the outside is a roll back 8 engageable with a latch bolt extension 7 a in the usual manner. The

roll back is mounted on a hub 9, having hearing in the back plate 1 and a bearing plate 10 respectively. The hub 9 has a non-circular opening to receive the similarly shaped end of the spindle 5.

Securedto the back plate 1 and fitting over the roll back.8 is a cover plate 11 to which is secured, as by welding, the bearing plate 10. As shown, the cover plate 11 is spaced from the bearing plate 10 to receive a spindle retainer hereinafter described. The cover plate 11 has a depressed extension 11, which fits over the retracting arm of the roll back 8 and opposite ends of the cover plate are suitably secured to the back plate 1 as by integral tabs 19.

The spindle 5 is provided with a transverse opening 12 through which is inserted a re tainer, which, as shown in Figs. 1 to 3, isin the form of a cotter pin 13, the outer end of which is bowed at 18 to retain the same in place. An opening 14 formed in the face plate 2 enables the cotter pin 1.3 to be inserted readily and conveniently from the outside. A notch 15 is formed in the edge of the opening 14 to receive a suitable tool for withdrawing the cotter pin, thereby to enable the spindle to be separated from the latch unit. When in place it is obvious that removal of the spindle 5 is prevented, the cotter pin abutting against the cover plate 11 and any out ward pull on the spindle is transmitted to the back plate 1 through'the cover plate.

As shown in Fig. 4, a tapered screw16 may be threaded through an opening extending transversely of the spindle 5*, an opening 14* in the face plate'afiording access to the screw. V

In Fig. 5, the roll back hub 8 has an extension 17 formed with atransverse opening to receive a cotter pin 13 which maybe inserted or removed through an opening 14 in the face plate 2*. In this form, anoutward pull on the spindle 5 through-which the cotter pin extends, is transmitted to the underside of a roll back cover plate .11 and thence to the back plate. It will be apparent that the roll back hub is shouldered and has bearings in theback plate and cover plate, respectively. This construction eliminates the necessity of the bearing plate 10 shown in Figs. 1 to 4, and provides a simple arrangement which can be readily assembled and disassembled and is inexpensive to manu- 5 facture.

The arrangement shown in Fig. 6 is somewhat similar to that shown in Fig. v5, but in this form the outer end of the roll back hub 8 is spun or otherwise curled over the out- 10 side of the back plate, so that outward pull on the spindle is transmitted directly to the back plate. A cotter pin is shown extending through registering apertures of the hub eX- tension and spindle.

It is manifest in each of the above forms that a retainer member is connected to the spindle and, holding means secured to the back plate engages the retainer member so that an outward pulling force imparted to the spindle is transmitted to the back plate. Thus the back plate serves to prevent unwarranted removal of the spindle when the .door is in closed position, since the pulling force is transmitted either through the cover plate 5 11 or roll back hub extension 8 to the back plate.

Numerous changes in details of construction and arrangement may be effected without departing from the spirit of the inven- .30 tion, especially as defined in the appended claim.

lVhat I claim is:

In a door latch, the combination of a back plate, .a roll back having a part formed with .35 a bore, an operating handle shaft for the roll back extending into said bore, a bearing plate for said roll back, a cover plate apertured to receive said shaft and being disposed spaced outwardly of the bearing plate,

40 means for securing said cover plate directly to said back plate, said handle shaft having a lateral opening extending therethrough and disposed in the region of the inner side of said cover plate, a detachable retainer element extending-through said lateral opening and within the space between the cover and bearing plates, and having portions thereof disposed on opposite sides of the handle shaft for engagement with the inner side of said cover plate, and means integral with and forming a part of the retainer element for releasably holding same in position.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name to this specification.

5E FLETCHER D. GRUND. 

